Ahhh, vacation. You’ve made it out of the office, successfully arrived at your destination, and settled into the sand with your favorite frozen drink when you hear your phone buzzing on the deck with a new email from your boss. And then a chat from your co-worker asking the same question he asked you last week. And then an email from that client who gets really pushy if you don’t respond right away.
Before you know it, your vacation has become just as stressful as—if not more than!— an average day in the office.
How can you stop the madness? How can you get people to leave you alone while you’re away (or at least resist the urge to answer their emails)?
For starters, check out the links below, and follow the strategies for regaining control of your precious time off.
- Think it’s not important that you’re disconnected from the office while on vacation? These 10 reasons may convince you otherwise. (U.S. News)
- Yes, you should give people an (emergency-only) contact plan, but avoid giving too many details about your vacation, like the hotels you’ll be staying at. (Forbes)
- Try setting up a vacation-only email so you can check in for emergencies—without getting distracted by the noise of non-urgent messages. (HBR)
- If you’re having trouble unplugging while away, the technology that’s drawing you away from your time off may actually be able to help you get back to it. (The Wall Street Journal)
- Have a boss who won’t leave you be while you’re gone? Try this advice for dealing with it. (Dress for Success)
- Consider implementing a team-wide policy to not contact people at all while they’re on vacation. (Skift)
- Check out these smart tips for creating the perfect vacation responder message. (Wired)
- Don’t forget to check with co-workers before putting them in your out-of-office message as an alternate contact—otherwise you may be dealing with angry emails from them while you’re away. (Lifehacker)
- Want to make your out-of-office more lighthearted? Get some inspiration from these funny messages. (Mashable)
- For some brutally honest humor, check out this deconstruction of what your out-of-office reply is really saying. (Washington Post)
Want more advice on making the most of your vacay? Check out our suggestions!
- The Right Way to Ask Your Boss for Time Off
- How to Get the Most Out of Every Vacation
- Vacation Checklist: 4 Steps to Prepare for Your Time Off